This application relates to battery or power packs of the rechargeable type and, in particular, to lead-acid, thin metal film battery packs. The application relates in particular to determining the cycle life of lead-acid battery packs for uses, such as jump-starting automotive vehicles.
It is known to provide battery packs, i.e., compact arrangements of one or more cells, for various DC power delivery applications. One such application is for use in jump-starting automotive vehicles. Such battery packs typically use lead-acid batteries, some of which have recently been of the thin metal film type. Such thin metal film lead-acid batteries are sold, for example, by Johnson Controls, Inc. under the designation "Inspira" and by Bolder Technologies under the designation "Bolder 9/5 Sub-C TMF" (Thin Metal Film).
It is desirable to provide a simple apparatus for determining the practical cycle life of jump-starting battery packs, particularly during development of prototype units, in terms of the number of usage cycles, such as jump starts or jump start attempts, which can be effected by the unit.